ICF rolls out Train 18’s ‘little sister’ for use in Northern Rly

Train 18, the first indigenously built semi-highspeed train, rolled out by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in October, will not be a preserve of the rich anymore. ICF has now come up with a modest version of Train 18, which is referred to as its “little sister”. It is in the category of Mainline Electrical Multiple Unit (MEMU) use for short distance intercity day travel.

ICF has manufactured a MEMU prototype by adopting the underslung propulsion technology and coaches from Train 18. Unlike the conventional MEMUs, in which onboard traction and propulsion equipment occupy considerable passenger space, the new underslung MEMU will have the equipment below. This will augment its passenger capacity by nine per cent.

The new underslung MEMU will allow passengers to move from end to end like in Train 18. It would be able to click between 110 and 130kmph. The MEMU underslung will be 2.8meters longer than the conventional MEMU, which enables it to carry 2,618 passengers, 216 passengers more than the existing MEMUs.

The newly built MEMU would have two driving motor coaches and six passenger (trailer) coaches. It would have stainless steel coach body, regenerative braking system that can save up to 35% energy, aerodynamically shaped stainless-steel driving nose, screwless interior panels, sleek aluminium luggage racks, stainless steel slip-free flooring, CCTV surveillance system (both inside the coaches and outside the driver’s cabin), GPS based passenger information/announcement system and double sliding doors.

Another salient feature of the new train would be talk back system, which would enable passengers to talk to the loco pilot in case of an emergency. The prototype would be tested by RDSO (Research, Design and Standards Organisation) in Lucknow before it is put to commercial use in Northern Railway (NR), which has also bagged Train 18 owing to the availability of infrastructure. “The rake will go to NR, which would help the engineers there adapt to its maintenance and operation since the technology introduced in the MEMU was akin to Train 18. ICF will commence commercial production of the underslung MEMU following RDSO clearance,” a senior ICF officer told DT Next.